Computerized data terminal with switchable memory address for start-up and system control instructions

• US 5,487,161 A
• Filed: 11/25/1992
• Issued: 01/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wistolchester Edge Company LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Koenck, Steven E., Austin, Rickey G., Boatwright, Darrell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robertson, David L.
• Application Number:
  US07/982,303
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 395/425, 395/400, 395/700
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0638 Combination of memories, e.g. ROM and RAM such as to permit replacement or supplementing of words in one module by words in another module address formation of the next microinstruction G06F9/26; masking faults in memories by using spares or by reconfiguring G11C29/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/2022 Flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4403 Processor initialisation

Abstract

A microprocessor circuit of a computerized data collection terminal includes the microprocessor and reprogrammable flash read only memory at memory address locations from which normally start-up and control instructions would be retrieved. A connector port is coupled to the microprocessor circuit through which additional memory, for example in the form of a memory card, may be temporarily and removably coupled into the circuit. A special purpose memory card includes start-up and control instructions to start and operate the microprocessor. The data collection terminal includes a special switch which, when activated, causes the rerouting of start-up code requests by the microprocessor from the memory locations of the reprogrammable flash memory to locations on the special purpose memory card. The special purpose memory card also contains program instructions for copying the microprocessor start-up and system control instructions from the special purpose memory card to the memory locations of the reprogrammable flash memory of the microprocessor circuit of the terminal. Switching the address of start-up and control code from the internal memory locations to the externally supplied memory locations allows the data collection terminal to be manufactured and assembled and to be programmed for a specific purpose after assembly.

Claims

1. Microprocessor controlled apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor device and a microprocessor operating circuit, the microprocessor device communicatively coupled into the microprocessor operating circuit;

reprogrammable memory coupled into the microprocessor operating circuit to communicatively interact with the microprocessor device, the reprogrammable memory containing a plurality of addressable memory locations;

means for addressing designated ones of the memory locations of the reprogrammable memory for start-up operations of the microprocessor;

means for selectively coupling additional memory locations into the microprocessor operating circuit to communicatively interact with the microprocessor device;

means for substituting designated ones of the additional memory locations for the designated ones of the reprogrammable memory to be addressed by the addressing means for start-up operations of the microprocessor; and

means for reversing the addresses of the designated ones of the memory locations of the reprogrammable memory having start-up operations of the microprocessor and the addresses of the additional memory locations having the start-up operations of the microprocessor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for selectively coupling additional memory locations into the microprocessor operating circuit comprises a memory card port including a memory card connector coupled to the microprocessor operating circuit, and means for sensing the presence of a memory card in the memory card port and coupled to the memory card connector, and wherein the means for substituting the designated ones of the additional memory locations comprises a switch means electrically coupled to the addressing means and selectively activatable for applying a switching function to the addressing means to couple the designated ones of the additional memory locations to the microprocessor in substitution for the designated locations of the reprogrammable memory.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for selectively coupling additional memory locations into the microprocessor operating circuit comprises a memory card port including a memory card connector coupled to the memory operating circuit, and wherein the means for substituting the designated ones of the additional memory locations comprises switch means including sensing means for indicating the presence of a special purpose memory card in the memory card port and an electrical switching circuit responsive to input signals from the sensing means indicating the presence of a special purpose memory card in the memory card port, the electrical switching circuit coupled to the addressing means, for selectively addressing the designated ones of the additional memory locations instead of the designated ones of the reprogrammable memory.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the sensing means comprises a switch disposed adjacent the memory card port, the apparatus further comprising a special purpose memory card insertible into the memory card port, the special purpose memory card including the designated ones of the additional memory locations with start-up instructions for the microprocessor, the card further comprising means interacting with the switch to condition the switch to indicate the presence of the special purpose memory card in the memory card port.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the sensing means comprises means for sensing the presence of a memory card in the memory card port and a switch disposed adjacent the memory card port, the apparatus further comprising a special purpose memory card insertible into the memory card port, the special purpose memory card containing the designated ones of the additional memory locations and detent means interacting with the switch to condition the switch for indicating that a memory card present in the memory card port is the special purpose memory card.

6. Computerized data terminal apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor circuit including a microprocessor and memory means interactively coupled for providing a plurality of memory locations to be addressed by the microprocessor while operating, the memory means comprising reprogrammable memory locations coupled to be initially addressed by the microprocessor on initial start-up, and thereby adapted to contain microprocessor start-up instructions;

means for replaceably coupling additional memory means to the microprocessor circuit, the additional memory means including a second plurality of memory locations to be addressed by the microprocessor while operating, the additional memory means including predetermined memory locations containing substitute microprocessor start-Up and control instructions;

means for selectively coupling the microprocessor to address the substitute microprocessor start-UP and control instructions in lieu of the reprogrammable memory locations to be initially addressed when the means for replaceably coupling has coupled the additional memory means to the microprocessor circuit; and

means for reversing the addresses of the reprogrammable memory locations to be initially addressed and the addresses of the substitute microprocessor start-up and control instructions.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising additional memory means including a second plurality of memory locations replaceably coupled by the replaceably coupling means to be addressed by the microprocessor while operating and having predetermined memory locations containing substitute microprocessor control instructions including a substitute initial microprocessor start-up code addressed initially by the microprocessor on start-up.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the replaceably coupling means comprises a memory card port including a memory card connector coupled to the microprocessor circuit.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a special purpose memory card disposed in the memory card port and coupled to the memory card connector, the special purpose memory card including a second plurality of memory locations replaceably coupled into the microprocessor circuit and addressable by the microprocessor, the special purpose memory card having at least one predetermined memory location containing a substitute initial microprocessor start-up code and means for identifying the special purpose memory card as additional memory means including predetermined memory locations containing substitute microprocessor control instructions.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the selectively coupling means comprises means for sensing the presence of any one memory card communicatively coupled to the memory card port and means for sensing the identifying means of the special purpose memory card.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the identifying means of the special purpose memory card is an indentation disposed in the special purpose memory card, and the means for sensing the identifying means is a switch means disposed adjacent the memory card port, the switch means including an actuator means sensing the indentation in the special purpose memory card.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a special purpose memory card disposed in the memory card port and coupled to the memory card connector, the special purpose memory card including a second plurality of memory locations replaceably coupled into the microprocessor circuit and addressable by the microprocessor, the special purpose memory card having memory locations containing substitute microprocessor control instructions including initial microprocessor start-up instructions.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the means for selectively coupling the microprocessor to address the substitute microprocessor control instructions comprises a switch means.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the switch is manually activatable.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the switch is activated by the insertion of the special purpose memory card into the memory card port.

16. A method of programming a computerized data terminal with microprocessor start-up and control instructions, comprising:

coupling an external memory source to a microprocessor circuit including a microprocessor and addressable reprogrammable read only memory, the external memory source including start-up and control instructions for the microprocessor circuit;

switching the address routing from the addressable reprogrammable read only memory to the external memory source;

operating the microprocessor circuit under the control of the start-up and control instructions of the external memory source; and

reversing the addresses of any microprocessor start-up and control instructions of the reprogrammable read only memory of the microprocessor circuit add the addresses of the start-up and control instructions of the external memory source.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the external memory source is a memory card, the card is coupled via a memory card port and connector to the microprocessor circuit, and the step of switching the address routing comprises substituting memory locations containing the start-up and control instructions for memory locations in the reprogrammable read only memory of the microprocessor circuit.

18. Microprocessor controlled apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor device and a microprocessor operating circuit, the microprocessor device communicatively coupled into the microprocessor operating circuit;

reprogrammable memory coupled into the microprocessor operating circuit to communicatively interact with the microprocessor device, the reprogrammable memory containing a plurality of addressable memory locations;

means for addressing designated ones of the memory locations of the reprogrammable memory for start-up operations of the microprocessor;

means for selectively coupling additional memory locations into the microprocessor operating circuit to communicatively interact with the microprocessor device; and

means for substituting designated ones of the additional memory locations for the designated ones of the reprogrammable memory to be addressed by the addressing means for start-up operations of the microprocessor;

wherein the means for selectively coupling additional memory locations into the microprocessor operating circuit comprises a memory card port including a memory card connector coupled to the memory operating circuit, and wherein the means for substituting the designated ones of the additional memory locations comprises switch means including sensing means for indicating the presence of a special purpose memory card in the memory card port and an electrical switching circuit responsive to input signals from the sensing means indicating the presence of a special purpose memory card in the memory card port, the electrical switching circuit coupled to the addressing means for selectively addressing the designated ones of the additional memory locations instead of the designated ones of the reprogrammable memory; and

wherein the switch means comprises means for reversing the addresses of the memory locations of the reprogrammable memory and the additional memory locations of memory selectively coupled into the microprocessor operating circuit.